I love spinach, and find it difficult to find lately. Every market now sells "baby spinach", which to me, has no flavor and does not have that thick hearty leaf that can stand up to a hot bacon dressing!

....and if you don't believe me about the militant attitude and nagging emails from our community garden, just read this informative note that we received in our daily email from them. (I hope no one there reads this blog, or I will surely be kicked out!).

"There is now a speed bump as you walk into the garden. This was installed so the main gate would close closer to a barrier so the smaller critters wouldn't get in.
I finally did see a LARGE vole on Thursday. STOMP on them if you can. He was living underneath a wheel barrow. So please return all barrows to the barrow stand!"

Ok, STOMP on a vole? Who are these people and how big could a vole be? This is the attitude of organic farmers who say never use weed killer, but use their feet to kill "critters".

Yes, voles and shrews resemble (cute?) mice, but they are VERY destructive and can get into your house and scratch around in your walls; so howdaya like that idea? They carry fleas and ticks. OHHH HOW SWEEET. Luckily for us we have barred owls too, who just LOVE to eat the voles and shrews that live outside in our underbrush!! Survival of the fittest! All natural! No poisons required :-D

While I applaud your attempt to get back to the land here, you're way too chic to be playing in the dirt. And I don't think you have the requisite black heart of the professional vole stomper. Instead, I imagine you sashaying thru the organic produce section @Whole Foods, charming every stockboy in sight. Louboutins optional.

Having had hamsters as a kid, I just couldn't stomp any furry little thing regardless of the harm they could do. Gross! That militant gardener is quite a piece of work. If I did come across a critter, I'd just pretend I didn't see it. Your garden is coming along very nicely despite the voles plotting under the wheelbarrows! ;)

I had to google an image of a vole to see what it was....Goodness. There would be NO STOMPING going on here. I couldn't stomp on that little critter...he's just like a little field mouse. We've had mice in the house occasionally (in the past) because they're attracted to the chooks we have in the backyard...but I couldn't kill them

About Me

I am an antiques dealer and appraiser by profession, but am secretly a crazy cook.
I am always dreaming of new recipes and dishes while I am sleeping! Since I make too much food, I am always feeding the neighbors. I live about 20 miles from downtown Manhattan, and have access to some great markets and restaurants.
Thanks for looking at my weekly recipes and photos, please drop me a line, I would love to hear from you!